CHARLOTTE BRONTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3103, 3 September 1913, Page 69

CHARLOTTE BRONTE.

(Paper by Black Watch, road by Possum at Open Meeting.) From the occasion of my first reading of “The Life and Works of Charlotte Bronte,” now six years ago, I have experienced a continuous desire to tell my friends something of the life of this truly noble woman. The record of this shy, lonely Yorkshire girl's life of toil and self-sacrifice, as revealed to us in her own works, and in the biographies written by Mrs Gaskell, Clement K. Shorter, Augustine Birrell, and other admirers has made such a. powerful impression upon me, and has awakened in my heart such a feeling of profound sympathy and respect, that 1 have felt an irresistible impulse to take advantage of every opportunity to make more widely known the really noble qualities which characterised the life of the remarkable woman who was known to the literary world of her day as “Currer Bel!,’ but whom we know by the more familiar name of Charlotte Bronte. It was in a small, unpretentious cottage in Thornton, some three miles from the town of Bradford, in Yorkshire, that Charlotte Bronte was born, her father at the time being minister in charge of tiio Old Bell Chapel, a branch of the Bradford Parish Church. She was the third eldest of a family of six children—five girls anti one boy. The eldest of the family, Maria, was only a little over six years of ago when Mr Bronte removed with his family to Haworth. . It was a wild, bleak place, situated upon the summit of a hill, and the cold winds which prevailed there must have been especially trying to Mrs Bronte, who at no time was of a robust constitution, and who soon began to fail in health.

Deprived in a great, degree, ns tlicv naturally were, of the companionship of a sick mother, the children were left a good deal to their own resources. We have been told that from their lirst going to Hawoifh the children did not associate much with other children of their own age. Their walks never led them down to the village, but always upwards to tiie purple moors which stretched away for miles beyond the parsonage. We have glimpses in Mrs Gaskell's book of the six little creatures walking out hand in hand towards the glorious wild moors, which in after years they loved so passionately, the older ones taking thoughtful care for the toddling wee things. A woman who nursed Mrs Bronte in her last illness told Mrs Gaskill that "these children were the best she had ever known of. ‘‘You would not have known there was a child in the house, they were such still, noiseless, good little creatures.” When Charlotte was five years- of ago Mrs Bronte died. The children were more alone than ever. But they were all in ail to cadi other, and did not desire more society. They were on the most friendly terms with the two servants kept at the parsonage, and these servants both retained to the last a fond recollection of Charlotte’s many kindnesses to them. They speak of one long scries of kind and thoughtful actions from this early period to the last weeks of Charlotte’s life, and though she had left her place many years before, one of these former servants went from Bradford to Haworth on purpose to see Mr Bronte and offer him her true sympathy when Charlotte died. That even at this remarkably early ago. Charlotte know something of the Bible, is evidenced by the answers she returned to her father when about this time he asked her what was the best book in the world. She answered unhesitatingly, “The Bible.” “And the second?” “The book of Nature.” Never in her after life was Charlotte disposed to alter these opinions expressed so early in life.

In 1824 Mr Bronte sent his two eldest daughters, Maria and Elizabeth, to a. school which had been established for the daughters of poor (IrrgMmn. and here, some time later. Charlotte and Emily also went. That the arrangements for the comfort of the pupils-—and especially such delicate little creatures as the Brontes--wero not of the best cannot be disputed. Maria especially seems to have been subjected to much tinnecessary cruelty hy one of the teachers. The two girls both sickened, were sent homo to Haworth, and died there within a few months of each other. Headers of “Jane Eyre,” Charlotte’s first published novel, will find in the description of Lowood School an exact transcript of tins school where the little Brontes suffered so much. The character of Helen Burns represents Maria Bronte to the life, and though to the general reading public the identity of the author of “Jane Eyre” was for long a mystery, still tiiose girls who had bee*n at school with the Brontes knew, when “Jane Evre" appeared, who must have written the book. They had no difficulty in recognising in the author of "Jane Eyre” an avenging sister of Maria Bronte, (itrange as it may seem to us, "Charlotte and Emily again returned to this school; but they did not remain long, and when Charlotte was about nine years of age she and Emily returned home. The four children—Charlotte, Bramvoll, Emily, and Anne—were at home together for some time. Their recreations were altogether different from those of ordinary children. They found their chief enjoyment in writing and making out stories, selecting for their heroes generally prominent political men of that time. Charlotte's favourite hero was the Duke of M ellington. She wrote several stories at this time in a hand so minute that it was almost impossible to decipher it without the aid of a magnifying glass. I should like here to give some description of Charlotte’s personal appearance, and quote the following from Mrs Haskell s “Life”;—“ln 1831 she was a quiet, thoughtful girl of nearly 15 years, very small in figure—‘stunted’ was the word she applied to herself; but ns her limbs and hand were in just proportion to the slight, frail body, no word in ever so slight a degree suggestive of deformity could he applied to her with soft, thick, brown hair, and peculiar eyes, of which I find it difficult to give a description, as they appeared to me in her later life. They wore large and well shaped, their colour a reddish brown ; but if the iri* was closely examined it appeared to he composed of a great variety of tints. The usual expression was of quiet, listening intelligence; but now and then, on some just occasion for vivid interest or wholesome indignation a light would shine out as if some spiritual lamp had been kindled which glowed behind those expressive orbs. I never saw the like in any other human creature. As for the rest of her features, they were plain, large, and ill-set; but unless you began io catalogue them you were scarcely aware of the fact, for the eve? and the power of the countenance overbalanced every physical defect. The crooked mouth, and the largo nose were forgotten, and the whole face arrested the

attention and presently attracted all those whom she herself ■(would have cared to attract. Her hands and feet were the smallest I ever saw. and when one of the former was placed in mine it was like the soft touch of a. bird in the middle of my palm.” This same year, when she was 15 years of age, she was sent to school again, this time going as a pupil to Miss Wooler, who lived at Roe Head, on the road from Leeds to Huddersfield, and it was hero that, her happiest school days were spent. Here. too. later on she returned to teach, and throughout her Ido Miss Wooler w.as her warm-hearted and sincere friend. It is in this neighbourhood that the principal characters in her novel ••Shirley” first became acquainted with her. Here site met Mary Taylor, who is the original of Rose Yorke in ‘"Shirley. and who afterwards came hero to New Zealand, and with whom corresponded throughout her life. Miss Taylor thus describes her first eight of Charlotte Bronte: “I first saw her. coming out of a covered curt, in very old-fashioned clothes. and looking very cold and miserable. _ She was coming to school at Miss Wooler s. When she appeared in the schoolroom her dress was changed, but just ns old. She looked a little old woman, so short-sighted that she always appeared to bo seeking something, and moving her head from side to side to catch a sight of it. She was very shy and nervous, and spoke with a strong Irish accent. W hen a book was given bet sue dropped her head over it until her nose nearly touched it. and when she was told to hold her head up. up wont ine book after it. still close to her nose, so that it was not possible to help laughing. (Miailotto became very popular with the othei girls here, her unselfish habits making her greatly beloved, and when at the end of a year and a-half she received her first bml mark for an imperfect lesson there was such a demonstration of indignation amongst the other girls that Miss W oo.er, only too pleased of the opportunity, withdrew the bad mark. She allowed nothing whatever to interfere with her pursuit of knowledge She picked up every scrap of information concerning painting, sculpture. poetry, music, and literature as if it were gold.” , _ , T , , In 1852 Miss Bronte left Roe Head and returned home to the parsonage, where she employed herself in teaching her two younger s filers, Emily and Anno. | he three girls led a very quiet life. -they spent most of their leisure time on the moors. They seldom went to the village, excepting to obtain books from the hbiaty there. They were so shy that they dreaded to meet even familiar faces. They were all steady teachers in the Sunday School, and Charlotte kept up this work faithfully after her sisters were dead and film was leit alone; but it was always a trial to them to face their fellows, and they much preferred the silence and freedom of the moors. In 1835, when Charlotte was a little over 19 years of age. she went as a teacher to Mass Wooler. at Roe Head, and Emily went with her as a pupil. But Emilv's nature was so constituted that she could not bear tbe routine of school life. Charlotte says: “ Liberty was the breath of Emily s nostrils; without it she perished, livery morning when she woke the vision of home and the moors rushed on her and darkened and saddened the dav that lay before her. Charlotte alone ‘ knew what ailed her. Kmilv was dearer to her than her own life. .She felt that, she must send her home or vhe would die. So Charlotte remained rn iit Roe Head, and Emily returned to Haworth and her beloved moors. Only twice again in her life did Emily leave home—onco aft a teacher in a school at Halifax for six months, and again accompanying Charlotte to Brusnelu for 10 months. From their earliest years the three sisters —Charlotte. Emily, and Anne—ban been in the habit of “making out stories, ’ as thev called it. and they all three had written poetry. For the purpose of discovering how her compositions might appear in the eyes of others. Charlotte determined to write to Robert Southey, whose name at that time stood first in the world's men of letters. When the throe, sitters met at home in the parsonage for the Christmas holidays their literary hopes and aspirations were discussed. ««« Charlotte’s letter to Southey was written and despatched. Mis Gaekell has suggested that probably this was the first of those adventurous letters which passed through the little post office in Haworth. Several weeks passed away and no letter from Southey came. Charlotte went back to Miss Mcolor's and Emily returned to her hard and distasteful duties at Halifax. At length when she had almost given up hope Southey's letter came. If any of you hero to-night have read this leiicr of Southey’s you will agree with me thai it is a beautiful composition—courteous iird friendly, and such a letter as could I'iiiv have been written by a gentleman and h man of Southey's extraordinary ability. He advised her net to think of literature as a profession, and appealed to her womanly qualities in such a manner as to draw from Charlotte in response one of the most womanly, sweetest, and dignified letters which ever emanated from her pen. She admits sadly that she cannot help thinking about literature, especially in tbe long nights; but the adds: “I trust i shall iuv-t more feel ambitious to see my name in print. If the wish should arise. I'll loo'at Southey's letter and suppress it. It is honour enough for me that I have written to him and received an answer.” Southey was so pleased with the uuiet dignity of tliis letter that he again wrote to Charlotte, requesting her that if ever she should be in the West of England to call upon him. Those of us who have followed Charlotte Bronte’s early career with sympathetic interest can just imagine how delighted she would have been to meet and converse with the greatest literary man of that ago; but she had no money to spend upon travel and pleasure, and when years later she did visit the Lakes Southey was dead. Once more Christmas came round, and again the three sisters met at the parsonage. Here they were happy. Amongst themselves their natures expanded; amongst strangers they shrivelled up. 1 set out. at the beginning of this papoi' to describe the life of Charlotte Bronte, but ibis I find it absolutely impossible to do without introducing these other two sisters, Emily and Anne. They were so much bound up in each other that to separate them is impossible. Emily's love was poured out on Anne, as Charlotte’s was on Emily: but. indeed, the love amongst them all three was stronger than either life or death. About this time an incident, occurred whin shows how kind and unselfish these girls were. One of tlmir servants, who bad been with them for years, and who was known affectionately as Tabby, met with an accident which prevented her from going about her usual duties. She had a sister in the neighbour hood, and Mr Bronte proposed, urged on

by sister-in-law, Miss Branwoll, that Tabby should be sent there until she had recovered. The girls expressed their disapproval of this proposal with no uncertain voice, and they refused to yield until Tabby had been allowed to remain and be nursed by them. Anne had been for some time as a pupil at Mies Wooler’e, but her health broke clown, and she was compelled to return homo. Emily, too, had relinquished her situation at Halifax, as the hard work and constant association with strange people had been more than she could bear. And Charlotte herself was in poor health; but she had immense courage, and she was ready to die in harness, the had left Miss Wooler's at this time am! had secured a situation as governess in a wealthy family, but the work was terribly uncongenial to her, as it was to everyone of tluse throe girls. They had all in a remarkable degree the power of acquiring knowledge, but they did not possess in a similar degree the faculty of'imparting it to others. Moreover, Charlotte was treated with little consideration by her employers. She was made by them to feel her dependence, and she was very unhappy. She could not endure this very long, and the year 1840 found all three sisters once more at home in the old parsonage. The hopes of the three girls now centred upon the plan of commencing a school of their own, where they could earn enough to provide for themselves and yet not be separated from each other. The idea of working amongst strangers mid being persecuted and misunderstood by them was intolerable to these shy Yorkshire girls. Charlotte, indeed, could have managed it: but what she could endure for herself she could no) endure for her sitters, and so the idea, of a school originated. But in order to better equip themselves for the task of teaching it was decided that Charlotte and Emily should go to Brussels to study French. So to Brussels they went, having borrowed from their aunt suincirnt. money for the purpose. Emily at this time was 20, Charlotte a few years older. Once again tnc contact with strangers told heavily niton Emily's health, but she forced herself to remain until she had acquired a knowledge of French. However, as Charlotte says, she was never happj until she had carried her hard-won knowledge back to the remote English village, the old parsonage. and desolate Yorkshire lulls.

After being in Brussels for several months their aunt. Miss Brarnvell. died, and the two girls hurried back to England. Charlotte returned alone to Brussels and remained there for some time teaching English and studying German. She was lonely and unhappy during the most, of her time here. I must not linger to give any details of her life in Brussels. Those who care to read of her life there may find a literal transcript of it in “Villette,” the last book she wrote. The school project came to nothing after all. Instead, the three sisters published a volume of poems; but, as Charlotte says, “neither we nor our poems were wanted,” and I don’t think a great, many copies were sold. They had also each prepared a work of fiction, CharMo having written “The Professor,” Emily "Wuthcring Heights.” and Anne “ Agnes Grey.” Their pen names were Ourrer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. It was hard work to find a publisher for these works. Emily and Anno did indeed find a firm to publish their books, but- it seems to have been a firm peculiarly destitute of honour, and the two girls were cheated out of the profits of the books. Charlotte was more fortunate in her publishers. Messrs Smith, Elder, and Co. published all her prose works, and no one could have been more strictly honest than they were in all their dealings with her. They were kind to her. too, in many ways. Upon the occasion of her \ isits to London the members of the firm vied vv : th each other in trying to make her stay pleasant. The families of Mr Smith ami Mr Williams, who was a reader in the employ of the firm, and who was the first person besides Charlotte and her s.sters to read “Jane Eyre” in manuscript, used to take her to some of the churches in the city or to the theatres, or would invite other famous men and women to meet her at their homes. In this way she became acquainted with that great master of English literature, William Makepeace Thackeray, and it is said to have been a curious s : ght to see Thackeray, who was a giant in stature as well as in mind, walking side by side with Charlotte Bronte, who was so small in person, but whose mind was as great as Thackeray’s own. Somehow or other, I don’t exactly know why, 1 have always felt glad to tlrnk that Thackeray was Charlotte Bronte's friend. She was so small and weak, and so little acquainted with the ways of the world. He was so big and strong, and knew the world so well that it is comforting to think of. him ns hating been her friend. But Charlotte did not find o publisher for “The Professor” until long after her sisters' books wore published ; not. indeed, until iter second book,

“Jane Eyre,” had made her name famous. The circumstances surrounding the commencement of this second book were very painful. Mr Bronte had become blind, and an operation to his eyes was necessary. For this purpose Charlotte brought him to Manchester, where slic was compelled to remain with him for a month. She was in great anxiety about her father. Emily and Anno, too, were both in failing health, and, knowing how she loved them, wo may imagine what she was suffering on their account. “The Professor, ' too, was going its weary rounds through London, rejected bv publisher after publisher. Then and there did this brave genius, whom misfortiiii'S and sorrows could never crush, begin to write the story of “Jane Eyre,” the book which was to make her name famous, which was to give her a place in the first rank of the world’s women novelists, and in after years was to bring many people to the little village of Haworth just to see the house where once lived that noble woman called Charlotte Bronte. I have now come to the year 1848, which marks the saddest epoch in the life of Charlotte Bronte, or, indeed, of any other woman I know of. In that fateful year death took from her within a few months of each other those two beloved sisters. Emily and Anne. All Charlotte s prayers and watchful tenderness and devoted love could not keep with her those two girls who were more to her than her oy.n life, .and to save whom she would gladly have sacrificed her own. The circumstances surrounding the early

death of those two sisters are too sad to bear writing about. I can never read of this dark time in the life of Charlotte Bronte without experiencing emotions of grief and of wonder at the strength of the bravo heart hidden in tiio delicate frame of that shy, lonely woman —a strength of heart which could enable ber to enefuro uncomplainingly the sorrows which crowded so tihick and fast upon her. and could enable her to say in the' deepest end saddest of her afflictions, “Thy will he done.” That

she was of a deep religious conviction wo know. When Emily was dead and Anno v.as fast slipping from her wc lind her saying. “i avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. This is not the time to regret, dread, or weep. What 1 have ami ought’ to do is very distinctly laid oat for me. What 1 want and pray for is strength to do it. ine days pass in a. slow, dark march, the nights aro the test, the sudden wakings from restless

sleep, the revived knowledge that one lies in her grave, and another not a: my side, but in a separate and sick bed. However, God is over all.” And again, "I often think that this world would be the most terrible of enigmas were it not for tho firm belief that there is a world to come where conscientious effort and patient pain will meet their reward.” This unswerving belief in God explains much of Charlotte Bronte’s wonderful courage. In all she wrote four novels—" The i’rofessor,” “Jane Eyre,” ‘Shirley,” and “Vil’ette.” I have already taken up so much time in describing the early trials and struggles of Charlotte Bronte s life that 1 have left myself no time ni which to speak of her later literary career. But those of you who love good literature should read those books, and when you are reading them please bear in mind the peculiar ami painful circumstances.undot which they were written, and 1 think you will feel as 1 felt and still feel, that tho world of letters knows no name more entitled to honour, respect, and love than lira shy. lonclv woman in tho seclusion of tho Yorkshire hills, whom wc know and revere us Charlotte Bronte. Charlotte Bronte died early in life, less than a. year after her marriage with -Mr Arthur Bell Xicholls. Tho brief period of her married life was the happiest of her existence. It is ■ r,t many years since her husband, Mr Nichols, died. It is good for us to know something of such a noble life, that wo might endeavour to fashion ours accordingly, i know tlu?v4 arc not wanting some small-minded, poorsouled people who are over ready to run down Charlotte Bronte, and to find in her attitude towards Paul linger. her master of literature in Brussels, who Is also “Paul Emanuel” in “Villcite,” scope for scandal. For my own part T have never believed the scandalous things which have been said *ihout her. and now, only a few days ago, the English cablets brought us news that letters have been found which prove conclns:vel.v that the suggested scandal was absolutely untrue. I am glad that this ia so. Glad to think that the character of sikT a noble woman has been vindicated in tho eyes of the whole world.